Football: Ateneo, UST start Ang Liga season with wins

MANILA, Philippines – UAAP-member schools Ateneo de Manila University and University of Santo Tomas (UST) started their respective campaigns in the 14th season of the Ang Liga football tourney on a high note.

Both teams won their matches on Sunday, July 31, at the San Beda College football field in Manila.

The Blue Eagles earned their debut victory in the pre-season football competition with a convincing 2-0 drubbing of University of the East (UE) during the heated affair in the first division.

Ateneo was on target after just 18 minutes of play on the pitch with a shot courtesy of Samuel Lim to give their side a 1-0 advantage going into the halftime break. 

In the second half, the blue-and-white squad capitalized on UE’s defensive lapse as Jordan Jarvis managed to sneak in another goal during the 86th minute.

Meanwhile, the UST Growling Tigers hardly took care of last year’s second division winner University of Batangas (UB) with a 2-1 conquest.

The Batangas-based Brahmans gave the Golden Booters their first taste of the lead in the 37th minute of action as UB’s goalie Allyson Lopez accidentally kicked the ball into the back of his own net.

However, UB was able to make up for its mishaps in the opening half as Jojo Nitro’s gutsy shot delivered the contest into a 1-1 deadlock in the 63rd minute. 

UST’s Dexter Benecio clinched the game-winning goal after converting his attempt in the 66th minute.

After their separate victories, Ateneo rose to 4th in the Ang Liga standings, while UST secured the 5th spot.

In other fixtures, the teams of the UAAP champions University of the Philippines (UP) came out with individual wins in the two divisions of Ang Liga. 

UP Team A smashed two goals past College of Saint Benilde through the efforts of the duo of high-scoring youngsters JB Borlongan and Kintaro Miyagi. 

Meanwhile, Migui Blanco and Vincent Aguilar steered the second unit of the Fighting Maroons to a 4-1 rout of UST Team B.

UAAP top guns Far Eastern University and National University settled for a 1-1 draw in their game during the action-packed weekend. 

The two brigades of NCAA powerhouse San Beda starred in contrasting wins in the third week of Ang Liga. San Beda’s first team narrowly lost to Lyceum of the Philippines University, 1-0, while its second-division representative pulverized Malayan Colleges Laguna by bannering a 6-0 triumph. – Rappler.com